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What's the story?
Chelsea's midfield maestro Jorginho lifted the lid on Maurizio Sarri's bizarre superstitions and claimed that his boss has a host of superstitious beliefs on and off the pitch. The former Napoli midfielder also hailed his compatriot for being 'true to himself' and honest in life.
In case you didn't know...
Jorginho and Sarri worked together at Naples for three years when the latter was in charge of Napoli. Their civil yet fantastic relationship was illustrated when the midfielder followed his gaffer to Chelsea just hours after Sarri was appointed as the Blues' manager.
The heart of the matter
The 26-year-old is also one of Sarri's favourites on the pitch, as he has already become the team's lynchpin since moving to Stamford Bridge. The Brazil-born Italian has played every single minute of the league so far and has cemented his place at the heart of midfield.
The Blues have enjoyed a fine start to the season as well, with six wins out of eight in the league, a third-round victory in the League Cup at Anfield against Liverpool and two wins out of two in the Europa League.
Speaking of his boss' mythical beliefs to Sky Sports Italia, he said:
"If I had to list all Sarri’s superstitions, I’d be here until tomorrow morning! I’ll tell you one: if the ball goes out for a throw-in, he refuses to touch it and won’t put it back on to the pitch. Mind you, the principles of Sarrismo dictate the ball should rarely go off the field"
Jorginho further praised his manager and added:
"Sarri has a great personal story, but has always remained true to himself. He is a very simple and honest person. In tactical terms, his style of play is very attacking, but organisation is the key to everything. When we play, everyone knows what they have to do and it becomes easier for everyone that way."
Many other Chelsea stars have labelled the midfielder as 'Sarri's son'. Eden Hazard, who is a lively character in the dressing room, remarked:
"He knows the manager. In the dressing room, we say that Sarri is the father of Jorginho because they always talk and laugh together, but I understand why because Jorginho is a fantastic player. He makes life simple for us, the right ball at the right moment."
Video
An excellent analysis of the genius in Jorginho, who racks up passes every game with aplomb. The midfield metronome has certainly played a huge part in Chelsea's successful start to the 2018/19 campaign.
What's Next?
Sarri and co. host a Manchester United riding high on confidence after a dramatic 3-2 comeback over the weekend on 20 October. Sitting pretty on 20 points from their eight matches so far, the Blues will be looking to pile more pressure on Manchester City and Liverpool with a win.
